& this negativity can be absorbed inadvertently even with precautions and protections

What matters to me is being able to recognize it – as early as possible

To diminish the effects and repair the damage

I’m finding that episodes become shorter in duration, less frequent and more readily repaired

Years ago it would have taken me ages to even recognize when detrimental events were occurring

My mantra was ‘if its just me, I can handle a lot’

[The rest of that was – but not when its affecting my kids

Until I realized the example it set for my children]

The problem with that mentality is that the duration of exposure to the damaging event is usually longer – more severe – and creates a great deal of damage that you may never recover from

There are myriad number of quotes / sayings that tell us to ‘avoid it’ / ‘stop it’ / ‘get out of it’

But offer no practical means of doing so – empty words

We have plenty

The more I learn to recognize negativity for what it is – as soon as it becomes apparent – the less trouble it causes in my life

That is not to say that I have found the perfect secret

I haven’t

But I’m paying more attention to my reactions

I don’t always heed those reactions, but reflection in hindsight is showing me / teaching me that I can trust my intuition – even if I don’t act on it

How does that relate to this work?

By keeping me aware that I can make choices in my best interest and potentially avoid the stressors of second guessing myself / of replaying events that cause self doubt and loss of self esteem

And this does not require dramatic reveals

Its in little, everyday issues

Sometimes as simple as having a coworker say – in front of a group of others – that you said you were going to do ‘X’ and didn’t

– now the fact is that you said you were going to do ‘Z’ and said you were going to do ‘Z’ Directly to this coworker just the day before – and that same coworker mentions that ‘X’ should be done by someone